1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand grip apparatus and a method of using the same for better enabling a fisherman to effectively grip the fishing rod while alleviating the effect of some of the forces imposed on the rod in the performance in the task of landing the fish.
2. Background Art
When a fisherman is fishing for larger fish, a substantial amount of force from the pull of the line can be exerted at the tip end of the fishing rod to bend the rod in the direction of the pull. With regard to the stance that a fisherman will generally take when holding the fishing rod is that a right handed fisherman would commonly have his (her) left hand gripping the handle of the fishing rod at a more forward location and the fisherman's right hand would be operating the reel. The butt end of the rod would be braced against the fisherman's body, possible at the lower portion of the torso.
As the fish swims from side to side and further away and toward the fisherman, this will in some situations cause a force exerted in the fisherman's hand that is gripping the rod so that it will tend to cause a fisherman's wrist to twist from side to side as the fisherman is gripping the pole, and to rotate the pole in the person's hand. This can cause a certain amount of fatigue which would compromise the fisherman's ability to land the fish. The embodiment of the present invention is designed to alleviate this problem.
A search of the U.S. patent literature has disclosed a number of U.S. patents, some of these relating to assisting the fisherman, and some being in somewhat unrelated arts. These are as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,564,389 B1 (Laughlin) shows a device to assist a person in lifting and manipulating a pot. A brace-like element 10 fits against the person's wrist. There is a forward end 12B which has a U-shape and engages the handle 102 of the pot. This is also connected to a mitt 20 which has a forward mitt portion 20B that fits around the person's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,284 B1 (Aman) discloses a gardening tool where there is an upright handle 10 which is grasped by the person's hand, and there is a bracing member that engages the bottom of the handle and also fits over the person's wrist. There is a tool end portion, such as at the end of a hoe or several prongs that could dig into the soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,755 B1 (Macaluso) shows a fishing rod attachment that is secured to the butt end of the handle and has a support member 22 to engage the elbow. The person's hand (shown at 28) grasps the rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,614 (Kretser, Jr.) shows a weed trimming device where there is a cradle or support that fits around the forearm and is held by Velcro or the like, and the forward end of this is clamped to the drive shaft assembly of a weed trimming device. The drive shaft assembly is shown at 60 in FIG. 6.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,087 (Backich et al.) shows a hand operated ergonomic scoop member that has a hand gripping portion 48, and a rearwardly extending frame member 50 that engages the person's forearm to provide support.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,068 (Wrench) shows a device which relieves stress on the wrist joint when the person is manipulating, for example, a knife. The person's hand grasps a handle, and there is a forearm engaging member which extends rearwardly from the knife along the fisherman's forearm, and which is strapped at its end closest to the elbow around the forearm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,900 (Perry) shows what is called a “limb brace support device for fishing rods.” There is an articulated brace which has an upper portion which engages the upper arm, and also a forearm portion engaging the forearm. Then, at the elbow joint there is a connection that can be made to the butt end 40 of a fishing pole. The person's hand at 46 grasps the fishing pole.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,775 (Sutula, Jr.) shows a support handle for a fishing rod where there is an arm clamp that extends along the fishing rod, and this also clamps to the person's forearm. The hand is positioned at the end of this member and grasps the fishing rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,056 (Johnson) shows what is called “cradle support extension for short casting rod,” where there is a support arm member 13 engaging the fisherman's forearm and having a cradle member 14 at its upper end engaging the upper portion of the person's forearm. The person's arm is positioned so that the hand can grasp the handle of the fishing rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,510 (Arsenault) discloses a fishing rod handling device where there is a forward hand grip portion 28 extending upwardly from the length of the pole, and a rear arm support brace 34 which grasps the person's forearm 50.